Do You Really Need Vanilla Extract for Cookies & French Toast?

Baking cookies is a fun and enjoyable way to spend time with your family, but it’s also a great way to show off your baking skills. Whether you’re a novice baker or an experienced one, there are always new recipes to try.

One of the most popular flavors for cookies is vanilla extract.

Vanilla extract is a common ingredient in many baked goods, including cookies. It has a sweet, rich flavor that can enhance the taste of other ingredients in a recipe. Not only that, vanilla extract can add moisture and create a fluffy texture.

In French toast, vanilla extract is used as a flavor enhancer. It helps to bring out the sweetness of the bread and the flavor of the eggs. Additionally, it helps to create a rich and creamy texture.

So, do you really need vanilla extract for cookies and French toast? No. You don’t always need vanilla extract if you don’t have any on hand. Vanilla extract can be expensive and hard to find. As it contains alcohol, some may have preferred non-alcohol flavoring enhancers.

However, if you’re out of vanilla extract or just want a different flavor profile, there are many substitutes you can use.

What Does Vanilla Extract Do in Cookies?

When it comes to baking cookies, vanilla extract is a key ingredient. But what does this extract do in cookies? 

Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of cookies by adding a sweet and creamy taste. As a result, using vanilla extract in cookies helps to create a more flavorful and delicious cookie.

In addition, it helps to moisten the dough and makes the cookies more tender. Because you only need to add around 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon per recipe, it won’t make much of a difference in your cookie dough, but it will add a small bit of moisture.

The end result is that you will get cookies that are more moist and fluffy.

What Does Vanilla Extract Do in French Toast?

Vanilla extract is also one of the most common ingredients in French toast. It gives French toast a delicious flavor and makes it smell good.

What does vanilla extract do in French toast?

Adding vanilla extract to French toast is a classic way to enhance the taste and smell. The sweet and creamy flavor of the extract pairs perfectly with the crispy bread and eggs. Some people also add a little cinnamon or sugar to the mixture for an extra layer of flavor. 

Can You Make Cookies without Vanilla Extract?

Yes, it is possible to make cookies without using vanilla extract. No need to change other ingredients, but the cookies’ flavor will be less prominent compared to using vanilla extract.

Many cookie recipes don’t even need vanilla extract. You may not use it and still produce good cookies, even if the recipe actually mentions vanilla extract in the first place.

For such a small quantity that you are intending to add, adding vanilla may have a huge impact on its taste. But even without it, the cookie will still be edible. No, it simply won’t win any baking contests or be gobbled up by the family, but it will still be a respectable cookie.

The cookie’s flavor should be the only thing that changes.

Finding a cookie recipe that doesn’t require vanilla extract is the key here. It allows you to bake the entire batch of cookies without having to worry about how they will taste.

Does Vanilla Extract Substitute (Still Contain Vanilla) Really Work?

There are a variety of vanilla extract substitutes that can be used when cooking or baking. The most popular substitutes include vanilla bean paste, vanilla sugar, and vanilla extract powder. However, many people are unsure if these substitutes actually work well.

Vanilla bean paste is made from real vanilla beans and contains a high amount of vanillin. This makes it a great substitute for regular vanilla extract. 

Vanilla sugar is made from sugar and whole vanilla beans. It has a strong flavor and can be used as a one-to-one substitution for regular sugar. 

Vanilla extract powder is made from ground whole vanilla beans and has a strong vanilla flavor. It can also be used as a one-to-one substitution for regular extract.

All of these substitutes work well in recipes that require for regular vanilla extract. They add the same flavor and aroma as regular extracts without the alcohol content.

What Can You Substitute Vanilla for in Cookies?

There are several substitutes for a vanilla extract that can be used in cookies. One option is almond extract. This flavor is similar to vanilla but has a slightly stronger taste. It can be used as a one-for-one substitute in most cookie recipes. 

Another option is maple extract. This gives cookies a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs well with cinnamon and other spices. Maple extract gives cookies a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs well with cinnamon. 

Adding cinnamon gives your cookies a warm, spicy flavor that is perfect for the winter months. So, if you are looking for a new and exciting way to make your holiday cookies, try adding maple extract or cinnamon! 

If you want to use something fruity, try using lemon or orange extract instead of vanilla. These flavors pair well with sugar and butter and add a bit of tartness to balance out the sweetness of the cookies.

What Can You Substitute Vanilla for in French Toast?

When it comes to French toast, many people love the flavor of vanilla. If you skip the vanilla and make your French toast as is, it will still be great. However, if you’re out of vanilla extract or don’t have any on hand, there are a few substitutes you can use. 

One option is to use a flavored syrup, such as maple syrup or honey. If you have a bottle of rum or bourbon handy, you can also add a teaspoon or two of that to the mixture. 

Alternatively, you can use ground cinnamon or nutmeg to add flavor to your French toast. Whichever substitute you choose, be sure to enjoy this delicious breakfast dish!

Can You Use Lemon Extract Instead of Vanilla Extract?

If vanilla extract is unavailable, lemon extract, or lemon curd can be used instead. Keep in mind that vanilla extract is not always sweet, but it is less bitter than lemon extract.

So, using lemon extract or juice as a 1:1 replacement for vanilla extract in a baked good may result in slightly more acidic-tasting finished goods.

However, the sugar in the recipe gives enough sweetness to balance out any bitterness, or acidic-tasting. This makes a beautiful contrast with the lemon flavor. 

Nevertheless, depending on what you’re baking, you might want to use more sugar or less lemon extract. It is a good idea to increase the citrus taste when you make lemon gooey butter cookies.

Never use lemon juice under the naive belief that it is equivalent to lemon extract. It’s a whole different component and can throw the dish off balance.

Why Is Vanilla Added Last When Baking Cookies?

When most people bake cookies, they add the vanilla extract last. But why is this? Why can’t you just add it with the other ingredients?

The answer is rather straightforward, and I feel dumb for not having thought of it without doing any study. 

Vanilla extract is similar to alcohol in that it evaporates and reduces when heated. This is because the rest of the volume of the vanilla extract bottle is contained in alcohol.

When heating a substance, such as custard for a pie, the vanilla should be added last because if it is used earlier, it will evaporate. You will definitely lose all of the vanilla flavors.

The same goes when adding vanilla to a cold substance, such as cookie dough. It should be done last to avoid the flavor evaporating.

Because vanilla evaporates, the type of vanilla you choose can be very important. The vanilla taste will disappear while cooking, something that will reach temperatures well beyond 300 degrees.

For baked goods like cookies, which heat up more in the oven, using imitation vanilla (vanilla flavor) is your best option. Imitation vanilla is created to not bake off as rapidly at high temperatures. Imitation vanilla has less alcohol compared to pure vanilla extract.

For cakes, pure vanilla, which has a significantly lower internal baking temperature than cookies, produces a richer vanilla taste; hence, pure vanilla flavoring is preferable. Although it has a higher alcohol content and will evaporate at high temperatures, the chance of the vanilla flavor vanishing in cakes is lower than it is in other baked goods.